CollectionsApr 03, 2026
Taylor Swift’s ‘Elizabeth Taylor’ Video Puts Jewelry Front and CenterIconic pieces, like the Mike Todd Diamond Tiara, appear in the superstar’s new music video for her song inspired by the actress.
Events & AwardsApr 20, 2015
7 security mistakes made at trade shows
A former Israeli Defense expert who now heads a jewelry-focused security firm runs down the main missteps exhibitors make that lead to losses.
New York--A little more than a month from now, the industry will converge on Las Vegas for five days of buying and selling and, most likely, monetary losses due to stone swaps, snatch-and-grabs and case cutting.
Jewelers’ Security Alliance statistics show that in 2014, trade shows ranked behind only highways/streets and parking lots as the most frequent scenes for off-premises crimes last year--and those are just the losses that were reported to the JSA.
At a meeting held Thursday in New York, Itay Hendel, head of ISPS-USA Security Consultants LLC, a firm with offices in Israel and New York that does security training for the jewelry industry, used security footage shot in booths at trade shows worldwide and clips from local newscasts to highlight the main mistakes exhibitors and traveling salespeople make that lead to losses.
His overriding message to those who attended his lecture, which was sponsored by Jewelers Mutual Insurance Co., was this: Ultimately, exhibitors have to be the ones in control of what’s going on in their booths at all times, who’s coming in, who’s going out, and how they’re behaving when inside.
“It’s about control,” he said. “No one will step to our booth without our permission.”
1) Not watching smartphones carefully enough. Probably one of the biggest security conundrums confronting both retailers and exhibitors these days is the ubiquity of smartphones. People and their phones are seemingly inseparable --they use them to take pictures, text and share on social media constantly.
While Hendel said that exhibitors don’t need to ban the use of smartphones in their booth entirely, they need to watch people who have them in hand. It’s fine if they want to use the phone to take a picture of a stone but they don’t need to keep it in their hand while handling loose diamonds, he said. Hendel there have been a number of incidences at trade shows recently where the perpetrators used a smartphone to help them pull off a stone swap.
2) Letting surfaces get cluttered. Don’t let visitors to the booth, or to a retail store for that matter, clutter the table or the showcase with show maps, shopping bags or random pieces of paper. As Hendel showed in a video, thieves often use maps and the like to distract from theft, and jewelry easily can be slipped into shopping bags.
3) Thinking it’s just a coincidence.
According to Hendel, “In our industry, nothing is by coincidence.” When traveling salespeople get a flat tire on the road, it’s more than likely because someone tampered with their vehicle. If someone spills water in front of the booth or shouts from another section of the trade show, it’s likely a tactic to distract and draw salespeople’s attention away from the jewelry so someone can snatch it.
4) Not controlling booth traffic. Hendel said exhibitors shouldn’t let people “just stand around” in their booth. If no one is available to offer that person one-on-one help, ask them to come back in 15 minutes. Don’t let visitors outnumber salespeople. Hendel also recommended appointing one person per booth to be in charge of security. “They don’t need to be focused on sales only,” Hendel said.
5) Not taking precautions with new clients. Have another salesperson there if a visitor to the booth is unknown to the business, and have one of the salespeople stand next to them. Also, ask this prospective new client for a business card.
6) Leaving the showcase unlocked, even for a second. This might seem like common sense, but thieves have snatched many an item from an open showcase. Open it, get what’s needed, lock it, and take the keys out and put them in your pocket, Hendel said.
7) Lacking an emergency communication plan. Pick a phrase like “It’s too hot” or “It’s too cold” to act as a secret message that alerts other employees in the booth to potential danger. Also, have phone numbers for the shipping company, insurance company and show security on hand.
More on Events & Awards
The Latest
MajorsApr 03, 2026
Saks Global Says It Will Emerge From Bankruptcy This SummerThe luxury retailer, which went Chapter 11 in January, announced Thursday that it has secured $500 million in exit financing.
CollectionsApr 03, 2026
Buddha Mama Brings Its ‘Moon’ Locket To DallasThe one-of-a-kind locket, our Piece of the Week, opens to reveal three hidden images to keep close to your heart.
Brought to you by
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessYou deserve to know what you are selling–to protect your customers as well as your business and your reputation.
MajorsApr 02, 2026
Pandora Opens New Canadian Distribution Center Amid Tariff ConcernsThe new facility was also designed to better serve its growing customer base in Canada.
Weekly QuizApr 02, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
TrendsApr 02, 2026
Michelle Yeoh Fronts New Mikimoto Campaign The campaign is a tribute to the year 1893, when Kokichi Mikimoto created the world’s first cultured pearl.
GradingApr 02, 2026
GIA Debuts New Campus in TaiwanIt is the only GIA school to offer the GIA Graduate Gemologist program in Chinese.
Brought to you by
Is This You? Every Jeweler Has This Problem; We Have the Solution.Every jeweler faces the same challenge: helping customers protect what they love. Here’s the solution designed for today’s jewelry business.
MajorsApr 02, 2026
DCA Launches ‘Second Spark’ Workforce InitiativeThe initiative connects veterans and parents returning to the workforce with careers in jewelry retail.
MajorsApr 02, 2026
Hoover & Strong Names New National Sales RepresentativeThe wholesale manufacturer and precious metals refiner has appointed Michael Angelo as its new national sales representative.
MajorsApr 01, 2026
Foundrae Sues Pandora for Allegedly Copying Its Medallion DesignsFoundrae also accused the jewelry giant of copying its mood board style of marketing.
AuctionsApr 01, 2026
John Jacob Astor IV’s Titanic Pocket Watch Heads to AuctionA Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co. timepiece owned by the American businessman who died on the Titanic will be offered at Freeman's Chicago.
SurveysApr 01, 2026
Consumers’ Outlook Improves Again in MarchThe Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index edged up, with optimism about the present outweighing worries about the future.
IndependentsApr 01, 2026
Zachary’s Jewelers’ Constance Polamalu to Release Children’s BookThe retailer’s Zach Bear gift comes to life in “Zach Bear and the Window Necklace,” which centers on curiosity, bravery, and helping.
ColumnistsMar 31, 2026
Q1 Clues That Reveal Where Your Jewelry Store’s Sales Are Heading These customer behavior patterns say a lot about how successful your jewelry store is going to be this year, Emmanuel Raheb writes.
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Mejuri Adds Silver to ‘Puzzle’ CollectionMejuri’s popular collection of 18-karat yellow gold vermeil rings debuted in sterling silver alongside new “Puzzle” slider charms.
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Buddha Mama, Ashley Longshore to Host Pop-Up in DallasThe Miami-based jewelry brand and the NYC-based artist will be in Dallas from April 9-11.
SourcingMar 31, 2026
NDC Designates April 8 as 'World Diamond Day'The initiative invites those in the industry to share stories on social media highlighting the meaning and impact of natural diamonds.
SourcingMar 31, 2026
GIA VP Jillian Wolk to Take Over at Tracr Wolk’s first day on the job as CEO of Tracr, De Beers Group’s blockchain platform, will be May 1.
EditorsMar 30, 2026
Tom Moses Looks Back on His Decades at GIA Moses, who will leave the lab in May after nearly 50 years, discusses his start in the business, gemstones that stand out, and what’s next.
TrendsMar 30, 2026
Oscar Heyman Debuts First Spring CatalogThe new catalog, which showcases 35 one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry, is a compliment to the company’s popular holiday catalog.
SourcingMar 30, 2026
Rio Tinto Hauls Last Load from DiavikProduction has ceased at the Canadian diamond mine, which has yielded more than 150 million carats of rough diamonds in its 23-year run.
MajorsMar 30, 2026
Tanishq Opens First New England LocationThe store opening marks the 10th United States location for the India-based jewelry retailer.
MajorsMar 27, 2026
Saks Global Has Changed Its Mind About Closing These 3 StoresTwo Saks Fifth Avenue locations, one in Florida and one in California, and one Neiman Marcus store are off the chopping block.
IndependentsMar 27, 2026
Jimmy West, Longtime LJG Executive Director, Dies at 72West, who started in the art department at the Leading Jewelers Guild in 1979, is remembered for his patience, kindness, and dedication.
CollectionsMar 27, 2026
Itä’s ‘Yarí Whirl’ Ring Tells Every Side of the StoryIn the “Tesoro” version of the ring, our Piece of the Week, each side of the gold hexagonal nugget has a unique colored gemstone design.
WatchesMar 26, 2026
Q&A: Citizen Watch America President Jeffrey Cohen on Eco-Drive’s 50th AnniversaryCohen discusses the evolution of Citizen’s light-powered technology, the brand’s cross-generational appeal, and tariffs.
